Permanent magnet motors where permanent magnets are spaced about the rotor and interact with electromagnets spaced about the stator, provide efficient motors for energization from direct current sources such as batteries. In most prior art permanent magnet motors, the electromagnets are energized at high current levels to attract and/or repel the permanent magnets to produce a mechanical power output. In another type of permanent magnet motor which may be referred to as the "release" or "nullify" type, the coil of a "last" electromagnet is energized only to release a permanent magnet so the permanent magnet can be attracted to the core of the "next" electromagnet. French patent 2,367,374 by Langevin describes a motor that uses current solely to nullify the attraction of a permanent magnet for a "last" electromagnet.